WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Ashton Long went 2-for-2 and Siarra Gomez belted a three-run homer in the opener, while Gomez, Nikki Nail, and Victoria Huie of Pottsville picked up two hits apiece in the nightcap as the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns beat Eastern New Mexico 12-0 in five innings and lost 4-3 to host Midwestern State on day one of the Holiday Inn at the Falls Invitational.

In the opener, Shanna Davidson was magnificent for the Golden Suns (2-4) in the pitcher’s circle, allowing one hit in four innings of work, walking none and fanning two to earn her first win of the season.

ATU scored early and often in the win, opening with a two-run double by Whitney Robinson in the bottom of the first, After tacking on another run in the third, the Golden Suns erupted for a nine-run fourth inning. The eight-run rule was invoked after Rachel Keeton set down the side in order in the top of the fifth.

Amy Kilpatrick, Robinson, and Ashley Keen all drove in two runs in the win.

Arkansas Tech opened the scoring in the second inning of game two when Long was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. But Midwestern State answered in the bottom of the frame when a two-run homer put MSU ahead 2-1.

The Suns tied the game 2-2 in the top of the third on an RBI double by Davidson, but Midwestern State again reclaimed the lead with a run in the bottom of the inning.

ATU tied the contest again in the fifth, on an RBI single by Huie, but again Midwestern answered with a run in the bottom of the frame. The Suns were held scoreless in the sixth and seventh.

Huie suffered the loss, allowing four runs on nine hits in six innings of work.

The Golden Suns will play Eastern New Mexico at at 9 a.m. today. The Golden Suns will also play Midwestern State and Texas A&M-International.

Golden Suns tennis pushed to Sunday

Arkansas Tech’s tennis match against Central Oklahoma, previously scheduled for Saturday, has been rescheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday at the Broncho Courts in Edmond, Okla.

Wonder Boys win GAC baseball opener

BETHANY, Okla. — Cesar Abreu went 3-for-4, Josh Johnson went 2-for-4 with three RBI and Ryan Taylor went the distance, scattering seven hits in nine innings of work, allowing two runs, walking none and fanning five as the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys kicked off Great American Conference play with a 6-2 win over Southern Nazarene on Friday.

ATU (7-4, 1-0 GAC) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second after a sacrifice fly. The Wonder Boys added a run in the third as Abreu scored on a double play, pushing Tech’s lead to 2-0.

Southern Nazarene got on the board in the third inning after a balk, but a pair of RBI singles by Josh Johnson and Cole Fergus added runs in the fifth as the Wonder Boys extended the lead to 4-1. SNU scored a run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh to pull to within 4-2, but a two-run double by Josh Johnson in the top of the ninth extended the Wonder Boys’ lead to its final margin.

Fergus and Jonathan Finnegan added a pair of hits in the winning effort. Taylor picked up his first win of the season, evening his record at 1-1.

The teams will conclude their three-game series with a noon doubleheader today.